Short circuit causes Grand Mosque fire

JEDDAH: A small fire broke out on the roof of the Grand Mosque on Monday morning, causing minor injuries to five people, including members of the Civil Defense, one security officer and three workers.
The fire broke out at about 2 a.m. and covered an area of 45 square meters on the roof of the Masa’a, where construction is currently taking place. Members of the Civil Defense and Grand Mosque’s security and safety teams brought the blaze under control with fire extinguishers.
Initial investigations determined that the previous day iron beams, covered in plastic to protect workers, were placed on a pack of cables linked to cameras. This had placed a strain on the cables and resulted in the short circuit, which had burned the plastic.
Lt. Col. Saeed bin Sarhan, spokesman of the Civil Defense in Makkah, said the fire broke out in an area under construction, away from worshippers and pilgrims.
Meanwhile, the Civil Defense in Makkah evacuated 23 pilgrims from a hotel in Aljumaizah neighborhood after a fire broke out, caused by a short circuit of a plasma television on the sixth floor.
The Civil Defense extinguished the fire and the pilgrims were able to return to their rooms.